In Love With A Monster
by ishxallxgood
Summary: "Oh, he'll buy me a thorn before he'll buy me a rose, be covered in dirt before I'm covered in gold, he's trying it on, yeah, he's ticking me off. Say what you want but I won't ever be told, 'cause I'm in love with a monster..." Doflamingo x OC, prequel to Dulcinea of El Toboso, this is the story of Doflamingo and her mother. Starts when he's 18.
1. Chapter 1

The young barkeep stifled a yawn as she scanned the busy tavern. The night had just begun and they were already packed to the brim with travellers. It astounded her how popular they had become in just a few short months. Her mother insisted it was because she had started working the night shift, but she didn't really believe her. It was illogical that her mere presence could cause such an influx of people. She was nothing special, that much she knew. Sure, she was pretty, but it wasn't like she was the prettiest girl in town, the girls at the tavern by the ports were much prettier than her, sluttier too. Still, she knew there must have been some truth to her mother's statement, for the sheer number of people packed into that room was proof.

"Aldonza, stop spacing out and tend to your customers."

"Sorry mama." The girl said, shooting her mother an apologetic smile before bracing herself for the crowd before her. It was going to be a long night.

Putting on her best smile she went to work, charming every person who walked up and asked for a drink. Suddenly the air in the lively room changed, a chill settling as a new group of people entered. The Donquixote pirates. A slight frown formed on her lips as they sauntered in, the crowds parting for them to pass, and a group of lesser pirates scurried out of their seats and offered them their table. She found herself scoffing at the display, sure she had heard all the rumors, who hasn't? Still, it seemed absurd to her that a single group of people could incite such fear in others.

"Aldonza, stop making that face. You know perfectly well what they are capable of." Her mother said softly, drawing close to her.

"Yes, mama. But at the end of the day, they're just humans… I don't understand the fear and reverence… it's not like they're Celestial Dragons or anything."

"Still child, please be on your best behavior please, you've heard about what they did to that one town…"

She frowned, yes she had heard. A whole town burnt to the ground because their leader, Donquixote Doflamingo had tripped on uneven pavement. It was excessive, and her mother was right, she should be on her best behavior, but she hated to think that one person could have that much power. What was so special about him anyway? Just another self-absorb psychopath running around acting like he was the king of the world.

Putting the smile back onto her face she attempted to carry on like before, but the chatter seemed forced, and every once in awhile she could feel his eyes on her. Turning her attention toward him, her eyes locked onto his, and as much as she hated to admit it, that guy was captivating. She could feel her heartbeat increasing as she took him in, there was something about him that made her feel hot all over and she couldn't help but feel like she was staring into the sun. A slight smirk crossed her lips as she silently let him know that she knew he was staring.

It didn't surprise her when he finally decided to make his way over to the bar, pushing aside the men sitting there like he owned the place. "Donquixote Doflamingo." She said sweetly, offering him the brightest smile she could muster.

"You know my name, but I have yet to have the pleasure of learning yours."

She chuckled softly, amused by his antics. "Aldonza."

"Aldonza, huh?" He mused, tracing his tongue across his lips as if he was tasting her name. "I like it."

Oh he was bad, but also so sinfully divine. "So tell me, Mister Donquixote, what can I do for you?" She asked with a coy smile.

"Fuffuffuffuffu, please call Doffy," He said as a devious smile crossed his face. "Mister Donquixote makes me sound so old, besides it will be such a mouthful to scream later... then again, your mouth would be too full for screaming."

It took her a second to register what it was he just said and she reflexively laughed. "Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves, _Mister Donquixote_." She replied, emphasizing the formal use of his name.

"Help me," He started as he leaned in toward her, that smile on his face growing wider. "I broke apart my insides. Help me, I've got no soul left to sell. Help me, give me the only thing that works for me, help me get away from myself."

An impish smile passed across her lips, as she reached under the bar and pulled out two glasses and the best bottle of wine she had. Popping the cork and pouring out two glasses, she handed one to him and crooned, "With pleasure, _Mister Donquixote_."

She watched as he tossed back the glass, licking his lips as his smile twisted into a wicked grin. Suddenly he moved, leaning over the bar he brought his face right next to hers, his breath ghosting her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "I want to fuck you like an animal. I want to feel you from the inside. I want to fuck you like an animal, my whole existence is flawed, only you can get me closer to god."

Jerking away from him she desperately tried to subdue the blush which was furiously spreading across her cheeks. A little part of her wanted to give in, to see the things this guy could do, but she decided to fight against that desire, and instead she let out a laugh. "Oh my, Mister Donquixote, we would have to get to know each other a little better first." She stammered, refilling his glass as she downed her own, in an attempt to calm her nerves. This guy was going to be the death of her. She just knew it.

"Fuffuffuffuffu," he laughed, settling back down and draining his glass. "Well what is it you would like to know? You can have my isolation, you can have the hate that it brings. You can have my absence of faith, you can have my everything."

She pondered his words as she took in his face and refilled their glasses. That smile of his held fast, contradicting his words, and she couldn't help but wonder what expression his eyes held. "Hold that thought." She said suddenly, draining the fresh glass of wine before taking off to tend to her other customers.

She could feel his eyes on her as she moved to the other end of the bar and a small smile found its way to her lips. He was certainly different than what she had expected, and everything about him made her long for more. Letting out a sigh she shook her head in an attempt to get him off her mind, nothing good could ever come from a guy like that. That much she knew.

Still, there was something so undeniably attractive about him, and every now and then she would look over his way and meet his eyes, giving him a smile before moving on with the next customer. As she worked, she somehow found herself standing before him again, giving into that little voice inside her head she pulled out another bottle of wine and poured herself glass of before refilling his.

"So, Mister Donquixote," She purred, taking a sip of her wine. "What brings you around these parts?"

He smirked at her, "What can I say, the scenery on this island is simply divine."

"Is that so?" She inquired with a smirk matching his own, "Pray tell, Mister Donquixote, what part of our landscape is so captivating?"

"The hills of course." He replied without missing a beat, and she could feel his eyes trailing down her chest behind his glasses.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes at him, and instead she offered him a small chuckle. "The hills huh? Well that's a first."

"Aldonza, you have no idea."

He was right, she had no idea, especially considering the fact that the island had no hills, just towns, forests, and rivers, but she would be lying if she said she didn't know exactly what he meant. She just refused to go down that road with him, there was not one bone in his body good enough for her. "Well then, Mister Donquixote, you'll just have to show me some time, now won't you." The words spilled out before she could stop herself and she blamed it on the alcohol. Seriously, nothing good could ever come from playing with him.

"Oh, I'll show you all right, I'll make sure to show you stars as well…"

She clicked her tongue in disapproval and pouted. "I thought we established the fact that we'd have to get to know each other first. I'm not that kind of girl. You want a whore, there are plenty over there." She said, gesturing toward the table he had been sitting at before.

The expression on his face was not lost to her. His strained smile, the way he hands clenched around the stem of that glass, it was evident that he was used to getting his way, and she could tell she was getting under his skin. She chuckled softly to herself, she had to admit it, it felt kind of good, making a guy with his kind of reputation, squirm.

Draining her glass she went back to work, flashing him another smile as the alcohol slowly made its way through her system. By the time she ran the last call bell, she was pleasantly drunk, and quite surprised that he was still there, staring at her. Coming up in front of him again she leaned over, resting her arms on the bar as she smiled sweetly at him. "I get up at ten, come by around noon and show me these hills you are so fond of, perhaps we can see where it goes from there, _Doffy_."

Groaning Aldonza opened her eyes, glaring at the sunlight which filtered in, between the cracks of her drapes. Sitting up in bed she let out a yawn and rubbed her at her eyes, frowning as images of that guy flashed through her mind again. She mentally slapped herself for getting caught up with him last night, wondering what on earth she was thinking, inviting him over at noon.

Getting dressed she prayed that he didn't actually care that much, that maybe he wouldn't show up. She knew it was wishful thinking though, a silly pipe dream, and as she made her way down the stairs her fears were confirmed.

"Mister Donquixote." She said, crossing the room and slipping behind the bar.

He let out a laugh, "Aldonza, I thought we had already moved past all these formalities last night." He said with a grin.

Grabbing the crate of limes off the floor she lifted it onto the bar and began prepping the fruit, cutting them into neat little wedges. "And I thought I asked you to come at noon." She retorted, refusing to meet his gaze.

"What can I say, I couldn't wait to see you again."

She flinched at his words, yelping softly as the blade slipped and she nicked her finger. Grimacing as the citrus juice found its way into her wound, she brought her finger up to her lips she sucked on it gently, removing the juice and hopefully slowing the flow of blood before she wrapped it tightly in a napkin. "I'm sorry, what?"

His eyes followed the movement of her hands, his own tongue flicking lightly over his lips as she brought her hand up to her mouth. "You are the single more intriguing person I have ever met."

"Tsk," She scoffed, as she continued with her previous task of slicing the fruit. "Is that so? Are you sure it's not because I simply said no?"

"Fuffuffuffuffu," He laughed, "Yes, there's that too…"

She let out a sigh and placed the limes into a jar, securing the lid before moving the now empty crate back onto the floor. "I have a lot of work to do in preparation for tonight's service." She said looking up at him, instantly regretting it when he flashed her a brilliant smile causing her heart to skip a beat. Sucking in a deep breath she tried to calm her nerves, "If you don't mind, I will gladly keep my word and meet with you at noon, but until then... do you mind?"

Turning in his seat as she whipped by him, the smile on his face grew wider. "Oh I don't mind at all." He replied, leaning back into the bar, his arms resting lightly on the edge. "You go do your thing, I'll just wait right here."

She shot him a glare before she went to work cleaning the tables and picking up the rubbish that was left littered around the room the night before. "Don't you have better things to do? Like pillaging the town or something."

He let out another laugh. "What kind of deviant do you take me for? I do not pillage."

"Oh? Well then excuse me, I just figured _pirate_ and all. Pray tell, what is it exactly that you do then, Mister Donquixote?"

"I'm a businessman."

She scoffed. "Is that right? And what business do you have here?" She asked as she finished wiping down the tables and benches and worked on moving the benches onto the tables.

Shifting in his seat, he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees as he followed her movements with his eyes. "Aren't you the inquisitive one."

Placing the last bench onto the table in front of it, she turned to face him, as a polite smile filtered across her lips. "I simply like knowing what kind of company I'm keeping."

"Divine." He stated with a wicked grin.

"Oh I'm sure." She retorted with a roll of her eyes.

"You have no idea, Aldonza."

She attempted to tune him out as she finished up with her chores, but his stare was burning a hole in her back. When the room was sufficiently clean she made her way back to the bar and took a quick inventory. Letting out a sigh she turned to acknowledge him again. "If you're just going to sit here, you might as well be useful." She said, eliciting a grin from him. "Follow me to the cellar and help me bring up the alcohol for tonight."

Without waiting for a response, she bent down and pulled opened the hatch which lead down to the cellar, flicking on the light before she descended down the stairs. She knew he would follow her, for she had just effectively invited him to enter a secluded dark space with her alone.

Shifting a few crates around she pulled out the bottles she needed and started placing them into an empty box. When she heard the tapping of his shoes on the stone steps she hastily filled a few more boxes, and before he could say or try anything, she pushed a case of wine into his arms. He stared down at her in disbelief, and when he didn't move, she placed another box on top of the one he was already holding.

Smirking, she maneuvered around him and made her way up the stairs. Placing the box she was holding gently down onto the ground, she went to work on stocking the shelves as she listened to him slowly make his way up those steps.

When he finally emerged from the cellar, he placed the two boxes down next to her and leaned against the bar, a sinister smile planted on his lips. "It's noon."

She almost dropped the bottle she was holding. Glancing over at the clock above the door she let out a slight groan. He was right, it was noon, and she had given him her word. Putting down the bottle she stepped off the little step stool she was on and turned to face him. "That it is."

Reluctantly she followed him out of the little tavern, wondering what in the world she was getting herself into.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, Mister Donquixote, where are these hills that you are so fond of?" She asked as they stepped outside.

A devious smile flickered across his face and his tongue lolled out of his mouth, flicking over his lips as he gazed down at her. "I was hoping you would show me."

"Hmmm, is that so?" She mused, "Where to start…?"

Looking around she contemplated where to take him. It was evident from where they were standing that there were no rolling hills on the island, at least not anywhere near the town. The town itself wasn't anything special, just your typical port town, bustling with taverns and shops, nothing particularly exciting. Trying to think of something she just lead them aimlessly down the main street toward the piers. "Honestly," she said after a few minutes of silent walking, "You really could have come up with a better lie…"

"What can I say, I was caught up in the moment." He replied with a chuckle. "How about this, I can show you my ship."

Glancing up at him she let out a small laugh, "And pray tell, Mister Donquixote, why would I be interested in your ship?"

"Because, Aldonza," He said, mimicking her tone, "It's magnificent."

"I'm sure it is." She retorted with a sarcastic laugh, but as the ships docked at the pier came into view, her laugh changed from sarcastic to genuinely amused. "Oh my, Mister Donquixote, she is really something…"

"Isn't she?" He asked, leaning down bringing his face closer to hers. "I could show you the Captain's quarters…"

"Is that right, _Mister Donquixote_? Are you sure you're not just trying to get me in your bed?" She asked attempting to ignore his proximity to her, as she took in his ship. She had to admit, it was pretty impressive, and quite flamboyant, just like him and his ridiculous coat. Leave it to him to sail the seas in a humongous pink flamingo. At least he was committed to a theme.

"Aldonza," He replied with feigned offense, "I would never… besides, I've been told you're not that kind of girl."

Turning her attention back to him, she smiled sweetly, "And you better not forget that."

"Behehehehehe, ne, ne Doffy!~ There you are!"

Aldonza watched with amusement as he let out a groan, and turned toward the nasally voice calling out to him, visibly irritated. Following his gaze she let out a slight gasp as a large, slimy man with snot hanging out of his nose came up before them, his face stopping mere centimeters from Doflamingo's.

"Ugh, back off Trebol." Doflamingo said with disgust in his voice as he jerked away from his friend.

She let out a chuckle, enjoying his adjectation. " _Business_ associates of yours?" She asked sarcastically, smiling as a scowl filtered across his face.

"Ne, Doffy, we've been looking for you all morning." The slimy man, Trebol, continued, ignoring his friend's request to back off.

"I tried to tell them." A tall slender man with dark hair offered coming up next to them. Giving Aldonza a small smile as she stared quizzically at the, what seemed to be, half eaten cookie stuck to the side of his face.

"Uhahahaha, Vergo actually knew what he was talking about for once."

A perplexed expression crossed Vergo's face as he looked over at his friend. "What are you talking about Diamante? I always know what I'm talking about."

"Uhahahaha," Diamante laughed again, slapping Vergo on the back. "Sure you do."

"Well then…" Aldonza said shifting slightly away from Doflamingo's side. "You have interesting friends." Her comment evidently drew the attention of said friends, and she could feel them all assessing her at once.

"Behehehehehe, ne, ne, Doffy, isn't that the little barkeep from last night?" Trebol finally asked as he drew closer to her, reaching out a hand to brush a stray lock out hair out of her face.

Aldonza flinched as the slimy hand drew near her, taking a step backwards she collided against Doflamingo as he leaned over her and grabbed his friend's arm before he could touch her.

"Do not touch my things, Trebol." He growled, tossing Trebol's arm aside as his other hand came down onto her shoulder.

" _Excuse me_?" She growled indignantly, pulling out of his grasp and removed herself from his side. " _Your thing_?" She spat, glowering at him. "Go fuck yourself, _Mister Donquixote_. I'm not a _thing_ , and I'm certainly not _yours_."

Stunned silence feel upon the group before his friends suddenly bursted out laughing, much to his dismay. His brow furrowed, and a vein throbbed on his forehead, but before he had a chance to respond, she turned on her heel and started walking away from them.

"Oi, Doffy, want me to throw the net I just got on her and bring her back?" Vergo deadpanned, causing Trebol to choke, his laugh coming out in a fit of wheezes.

Taking a deep breath, Doflamingo let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You don't actually have a net do you, Vergo?" He asked with a slight chuckle.

Looking down at his hands, Vergo shook his head. "No, I suppose I don't have a net."

"YOU KNOW I CAN STILL HEAR YOU ASSHOLES RIGHT!?" She yelled back at them, enraged as she made her way back to the little tavern.

"Uhahahahaha, feisty one ain't she?"

Catching his breath Trebol placed an arm around Doflamingo's shoulders. "Ne, ne Doffy, I can see why you like her."

Slamming open the door to the tavern, Aldonza stormed inside and threw herself down onto a stool, grabbing the closest bottle of alcohol to her. Prying off the cork she took a long draught before relaxing slightly into her seat and setting the bottle angrily down onto the counter.

"What's wrong, love?" Came her mother's voice from inside the kitchen.

"I hate boys." She spat, taking another swig of wine.

"That boy from last night? Donquixote Doflamingo was it?" Her mother asked as she took a seat next to her, prying the bottle out of her hands.

"Yes, and his idiot friends." Looking up at her mother, her frown intensified. "Wait, how did you know?"

Her mother let out a laugh. "Love, it was written all over your face. You were clearly smitten."

"Ugh," She groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Mama, I seriously hate boys like him."

"I know. Boys like that are the worst. Arrogant, self-centered-"

"Possessive." She interjected. "He referred to me as one of _his things_." Aldonza looked up from her hands, "But you know the worst part of it, mama? I can't get him out of my head."

Letting out a sigh her mother pulled her in for a hug. "I'm sorry love, that really is the worst."

"Mama, can I have the night off? I don't think I can handle seeing him and his friends again tonight."

"Of course love, but you know that means you'll have to do the port run early tomorrow morning."

Slumping over on the bar, Aldonza groaned. "Yes, mama." She hated doing the port run, but at this point, anything was better than having to deal with him again for a whole night again.

Aldonza yawned as she watched the sun paint the eastern horizon in a brilliant display of reds and oranges, waiting for the merchant ships to unload their goods. Suddenly the messenger birds swooped by, dropping off the morning's paper. Picking up the newspaper, Aldonza unfolded it, gasping as she read the headline. "Impossible." She whispered softly to herself as she read and reread those words, a chill running through her body. This was bad, it was unbelievable, but it would seem that Gol D. Roger was going to be executed in the East Blue.

Tucking the paper under her arm, she lifted the crate she had brought with her, and began making her way around the various stalls, picking out the things they needed for the day, and making sure that there wasn't a new shipment of wine or sake that needed to be delivered to the tavern. By the time she was done the sun had risen enough to illuminate the main street and she sucked in a breath before lifting the now full crate and began to slowly make her way back.

"Aldonza."

Letting out a yelp she dropped the crate she had been holding, a s shudder running through her body as his breath suddenly ghosted her ear, her name escaping his lips. "What do you want." She snarled, whipping around to face him.

A smile filtered across his lips as her eyes locked into his. "I simply wanted to apologize for yesterday…"

"Save it for someone who cares." She spat, crossing her arms definitely.

"No really, I was out of line."

She sighed heavily, "Look, _Mister Donquixote_ , I'm not interested, so could you please leave me alone. There are plenty of girls out there you can harass, most of them who I'm sure would be more than willing to throw themselves at you. I don't want nor need that in my life right now. So please, go away."

"Fuffuffuffuffu," he laughed dismissing what she said as he picked up the crate she had dropped. "At least let me walk you back, as an apology for my disrespectful words yesterday."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Fine." She conceded, grateful that she didn't have to carry the heavy crate back herself.

Pushing open the door to the tavern, she held it open as he maneuvered around and dropped the crate down by the bar.

"Aldonza, love you know better than to…" her mother called from the kitchen, her voice trailing when she entered the room. "... You're certainly not my daughter."

A laugh escaped him as he met her mother's eye, "No, that I'm not."

"Mama," Aldonza said shakily as she made her way across the room, handing her mother the paper.

Taking the paper from her, her mother quickly scanned the front page, all the color slowly draining from her face, "Aldonza love…" She said, steadying herself on the bar.

"Yes, mama. I know." She said quietly, nodding.

"This… I need to…"

Aldonza nodded again. "Yes, mama. I know." She repeated.

"You'll take care of this place, then?" Her mother asked, folding up the paper and placing it gently on the bar, her hands shaking.

"Yes, mama."

"Your Uncle Francisco will be around, don't hesitate to ask him for help."

Giving her mother a small smile Aldonza nodded again. "Understood. You go mama, I can handle this."

Her mother embraced her, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead before she hurried out the door.

"What was that all about?" Doflamingo asked as she sat down on the stool next to him, cradling her head in her hands.

Glancing over at him, she pushed the paper toward him before resuming her previous pose, slumping lower onto the bar. "World's changing my friend… world's changing..." She mumbled from under her hands.

Doflamingo lifted the paper, his eyes widening and his grin intensifying as he read. "You're right…" He said with a shiver of excitement. "The world is changing... Fuffuffuffuffu, this will be fun."

She sighed and lifted her head to look over at him, the look on his face unsettling her. "And I suppose you're going to go fly off to the East Blue on that bird of yours now aren't you?" She said more bitterly than she had intended.

He let out another laugh. "You have a problem with my ship?"

Chuckling softly to herself as images of his ship came floating back into her mind, she shook her head. "No, I think it suits you. You're both ridiculous." She replied with a playful smirk dancing on her lips.

"Well aren't you kind, Aldonza."


	3. Chapter 3

Aldonza sighed as she continued to absentmindedly slice the large pile of limes before her. Every now and then her eyes would wander down to the barely visible scar on her thumb and she would sigh again, wondering where in the world that guy was now, not that it really mattered. He probably doesn't even remember who she was, there were so many people out there in the world, so many girls much more interesting than her, but him, he was one in a million. Ever since the day he left, she found that he had somehow ingrained himself into her brain, and that no matter what she did, she could not help but find herself obsessing over him.

How long had it been since Gol D. Roger's execution? A year? Possibly a little more. The world was certainly an interesting place now, the peace and order the Pirate King had provided was now shattered. More and more pirates started popping up everywhere, bringing with them pain and destruction, not to mention the reckless Marines who ruthlessly pursued them, not caring about who they hurt in the name of _justice_.

She remembered what it was like in those early days following the execution. When the Marines came through and tried to purge the world of everyone and everything associated with Gol D. Roger. They indiscriminately slaughtered innocent women and children, punishing them for the crime of simply knowing that man. It was then that she realized how corrupt the Marines really were, that they were not harbingers of justice, but mindless puppets used by the World Government for their own agenda and twisted version of _justice_.

She was grateful that her mother had left the island before they came through, and hoped that she was doing well. Her latest correspondence was promising, she had found her father, which was good, but now they were in hiding. Perhaps one day she would find her way out into the world and go see them, but for now she was happy remaining here on El Toboso and running the little tavern, hearing news of the world..

With a loud bang, the door of the tavern suddenly burst open, pulling her from her thoughts, as a young deckhand came running in.

"Aldonza-dono!" He exclaimed breathlessly. "It's here."

Dropping the knife a wave of excitement coursed through her, and in a flash she leapt over the bar and crossed the room, abandoning the limes. Pushing a small coin into the boy's hand she flashed him a bright smile before taking off out the door and down the street. As she ran, she pulled the ribbon out of her hair, letting it loose as she ran her fingers through it primping herself. Suddenly, she skidded to a stop shortly before rounding the corner toward the pier as the realization of what she was doing dawned upon her.

Raking her fingers through her hair one last time she pulled her hair behind her, twisting it before pulling it over her right shoulder. Why was she primping herself in the hopes of attracting that guy anyway? Why was she so desperate to see some guy she had known for three days, over year ago? Why did she even care? Lastly, why in the world did she just pay someone to tell her when his ship was coming to port?

Letting out an exasperated sigh she slowly she turned the corner, looking up she watched as the figures on that magnificent flamingo moved about, making their way down that impossibly long gangplank. She honestly had half a mind to turn around and go back to the tavern, but the little voice inside her head urged her keep moving.

"Arg!" She growled as she ducked into the closest store to her, biding herself some time while she attempted to sort out her thoughts. It was absolutely ridiculous. This desire to see him again, what was she even going to say? " _Hi remember me? The girl who thwarted all your advances the last time we met… let's fuck_." She growled again as she slumped against the wall, images of him fluttering back into her mind. He was so beautiful, so intoxicating, and oh how she wished she had just given in, back then. Shaking her head she tried to dispel his image from her mind, but knowing he was so close made her heart race, and so she instead turned around and began to bang her head against the wall, much to the dismay of the storekeeper.

"Oi, Aldonza-chan, what are you doing?" The old storekeeper asked, coming up next to her.

Ignoring him she continued hitting her head against the wall, the momentary pain relieving her slightly of her current distress.

"Fuffuffuffuffu, yes, Aldonza- _chan_ , what _are_ you doing?"

All the hairs on the back of her neck stood up when she heard his voice, and before she had a chance to react she could feel the warmth of his breath against her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Violently she spun around, stumbling backwards and slamming into the wall in a feeble attempt to create some space between them. "M-m-mister Donquixote…" She gasped, staring up at that beautiful face of his. Her heart hammered in her chest and a warmth spread within her, and she could not help but feel like she was staring into the sun.

"Aldonza- _chan_." He said, grinning down at her. "It's been a while."

"Y-yes… it has, Mister Donquixote." She managed to get out, dropping her gazed down to her shoes, suddenly overwhelmed by the brilliance that was him.

"Why so suddenly shy, Aldonza- _chan_?" He asked, brushing some hair out of her face as he lifted her chin so he could see her face again.

A deep blush crossed her face as his fingers gently brushed against her face, sending a current of electricity all over her body. "I… I just wasn't expecting you…" She stammered, averting her gaze.

"Oh?" He asked, amusement lacing his voice. "Is that right? Because if I'm not mistaken you noticed us just before you came in here."

She pursed her lips and huffed at him. "You must have been mistaken, _Mister Donquixote_."

"Hmmm, is that so?" he mused, a knowing smile plastered on his face. "Well then... I do believe there were some hills you still needed to show me."

She let out a chuckle, his words pulling her out of her nervous stupor and she found herself falling back into her usual self. "Are we still on that pretense?" She asked, pushing him back slightly so she could removed herself from the spot he had cornered her into. "If I recall correctly, _you_ were the one who was so enthralled with these so-called _hills_."

Stepping back, he flashed her a playful grin before holding open the door for her. "Technicalities my dear, technicalities."

Shaking her head she stepped out of the little shop and waited for him to follow her out. She couldn't explain it, but there was something so undeniable about him, something so inexplicably familiar and comforting, like a large pink, fluffy, lovey. Never in a million years would she have ever thought that a guy like that could make her feel so at home.

As they started to make their way from the little shop, Aldonza could not help but notice the tenseness in the air, and how the crowds along the streets were parted. She frowned as this could mean one and only one thing, a Celestial Dragon was passing through. Looking toward the ports her suspicions were confirmed, but before she could bow as he passed, she felt a strong hand come down around her upper arm, holding her in place.

"Don't bow." Doflamingo said roughly, through gritted teeth, that permanent smile on his face wavering ever so slightly.

"What?" She asked in confusion as she glanced up at him, surprised by the agitation written on his face.

"Don't bow." He repeated.

"But… he's a Celestial Dragon…" She whisper loudly to him, "If we don't bow…"

"I said, don't bow."

She stood horrified as the Celestial Dragon turned toward them, a look of indignation plastered on his face as he glared at them. Aldonza could feel the grip on her arm tighten as Doflamingo visibly tensed, but refused to back down. The smile on his face turning sinister as he locked eyes with the World Noble, and a glint of recognition passed through the Celestial Dragon's eyes. She held her breath as his glare intensified, but he made no move to further reprimand the two of them, instead he turned to walked away. As he walked off, Aldonza let out the breath she had been holding, and could have sworn she saw mouth, _Donquixote Doflamingo_.

They continued to stand there in stone silence, even long after the Celestial Dragon had passed. As the crowds around them slowly dispersed, she could still feel that grip he had on her arm. "M-mister Donquixote…" She stammered, trying to pull her arm free, as the pain intensified. "Please… Mister Donquixote… you're hurting me."

He didn't seem to hear her, as he continued to stared off into the distance, a tightness still set in his jaw.

"Mister Donquixote!" She exclaimed again, still attempting to squirm out of his grasp. "GODMAN IT DOFFY, RELEASE ME!"

At the exclamation of his diminutive name, he snapped out of his daze and glanced down at her, relaxing the hold he had on her arm. "I'm sorry… Aldonza-chan." He said absently as he gazed back toward the direction the Celestial Dragon had gone off in. "I just wasn't expecting... _that_ … to think a Tenryūbito, _here_ …"

"It's really not that uncommon." She replied rubbing her arm. "Although we are a relatively small island, we are at the crossroads of three major currents here in the North Blue. All sorts of people pass through here…" Glancing up at him again she noticed that a slight scowl was still evident in his smile. "Are you okay?"

Focusing his attention back to her, he gave her a forced smile. "I'm fine." He replied, though she could see through his lie. "Let's get out of here."

Nodding, she silently lead him back to the tavern, a frown settling on her face when she noticed the pile of half cut limes she had left abandoned on the counter. "Shit, I forgot about those…" She mumbled softly to herself as she made her way behind the bar, gesturing for him to take a seat as she pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses.

Noticing the limes, he momentarily forgot about the Celestial Dragon who just passed by, as he recalled the last time he was in that tavern. "In a hurry to go somewhere?" He asked teasingly, the fact that she had rushed out of the bar to meet his ship was not lost to him.

She shot him a glare and popped the cork off the wine and poured out the glasses. "Oh shut it, you." She retorted playfully, shoving a glass into his hands before resuming the task of cutting the limes.

He grinned into his glass before tossing it back, draining the whole glass in one long draught. Settling down, his previous agitation returned. He hated it, that feeling twisting inside of him, eating away at his soul. Oh how he hated them, those Celestial Dragons, entitled bastards who believed they were better than the rest of the world, but oh how he hated those imbeciles who feared and revered them even more. They were the cause of all his pain and torment, they were the reasons why he had to endure that horrible nightmare, they were the ones who stole from him his innocence.

Aldonza watched as he grabbed the bottle, drinking from it directly as he tried to drown his discomfort with the alcohol. She couldn't blame him, although she knew not what he was running from, she could tell his was upset, and she could only guess it had something to do with that Celestial Dragon. Finishing up with the limes, she tossed them into a couple of jars and sealed them before drinking her own glass of wine, pulling out a new bottle as he set down the now empty one.

"So, tell me, Mister Donquixote," She said, pulling the cork out of the bottle. "What have you been up to this past year? How was the East Blue?"

He smiled at her as he took the fresh glass of wine from her hands, a real, genuine smile, not one of those smiles that he always gave to the world. Her presence soothed his soul, calmed that storm raging inside of him, and it delighted him that she had purposely glossed over his obvious distress and moved onto a more pleasant topic. "The East Blue is overrated." He replied, taking a drink. "The people there are too passive, they need a little more passion. I'm glad to be back here in the North Blue."

She returned his smile as she slowly drank her wine, listening to the tales of his travels, and refilling his glass whenever it got too low. He had drawn her to him, pulling her into his orbit, and the more she drank, the more she realized that she could no longer resist him.


	4. Chapter 4

"Doffy." She said with a giggle. " _Doffy_." She repeated in a different tone, followed by another giggle.

He grinned back at her, sipping his glass of wine slowly as she continued to experiment with his name in different intonations.

"Doffy." She looked up at him, studying his face as he simply smiled back at her. "I think I like _Mister Donquixote_ more… it's more… dignified." She finally stated.

"Oh?" He mused, "But it makes me sound so old."

"Hmmm…" Pursing her lips she continued to stare at him, studying every inch of his face. "Donquixote Doflamingo." She said slowly, enunciating every syllable. "Such a fitting name."

He let out a small chuckle, amused by her current obsession over his name.

"Such a noble and chivalrous name… like you're out sailing the four Blues setting the world right, undoing wrongs and bringing forth justice…" Suddenly she jumped up onto the bar, knocking over the bottles of wine they had emptied over the hours. "Oh! Where's your noble steed, Rocinante?" She exclaimed, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Perhaps it's that large slimy fellow…"

"Trebol?" He asked with a slight tremor and a hint of revulsion in his voice. "No, Trebol just fancies himself that important… though admittedly he was the driving force behind all this… but still, no. I lost my Rocinante long ago…"

"Oh no," she gasped. "That's horrible… poor Rocinante, out there wandering… lost…" She pouted as she furrowed her brows in deep thought. "I know! We should go find him."

"No, I don't think that's necessary… perhaps one day…"

"Umhmm," she hummed, nodding in agreement as she settled down on the bar. "Yes, yes… Rocinante is a faithful horse… he's bound to find his way home. Home…"

As she said that last word she removed her hands from his shoulders and placed them onto her lap, a far away look in her eyes as she continued to gaze up at him. A soft smile crossed her lips as she let out a deep sigh, "Home…" She repeated, and then suddenly snapped out of whatever trance she was in. Leaning over to her left she reached down beside her and grabbed the closest bottle, bringing it up to her lips, the pout returning when she realized it was empty. "The wine's gone." She said sadly into the empty bottle.

"Here," he offered, grabbing the empty bottle from her and giving her his glass, which she took gratefully and drank in large thirsty gulps.

"Mmmm, wine." She she said as she looked at the glass, twirling it between her fingers. "This is the good stuff too." A small giggle escaped her again. "Mama's gonna be so pissed when she sees how many bottles we just drank…"

He looked to the half a dozen empty bottle littered across the bar and nodded in agreement. "Perhaps, but she's not here, now is she?"

"No she's not!" Aldonza declared, slamming the glass onto the table. "I'm in charge now, and I say more wine!" She leaned dangerously over the bar, reaching under it to pull out another bottle, only to be met with emptiness. Sitting up straight she pouted at him again. "The wine's gone."

Before he could respond, she lurched forward again, only this time she brought her hands up to his face, steadying herself as she gently cupped his face and stared into his eyes through his glasses.

"Has anyone ever told you, you are like the sun?" She asked suddenly, pulling back a little as her fingers trailed over his face, learning every curve of his jaw and cheekbones.

"No, I can't say that they have." He replied, enjoying the touch of her fingers on his face.

"Hmmm, well you are." She stated as she momentarily paused her caress, her fingers landing softly on the temples of his glasses. "You're so bright and brilliant, and there's this power and majesty that just radiates off of you, pulling everyone into your orbit. I suppose that's perhaps it's why Trebol and the others are so drawn to you…" She mused.

"And you?"

"Well naturally," She answered, tugging his glasses off and examining them for a moment before she placed them onto her own face. "I was pulled in the moment I laid eyes on you…"

"Is that right?" He asked, reaching for his glasses only to have his hand swatted away.

She nodded as she lifted the glasses up and then set them back on her nose, only to lift them up again, "I don't get how you can wear these all the time… everything's so red." She said as she tucked them up into her hair.

"I like it like that." He tried to reach for them again, but she grabbed his hands and brought them down onto her lap as she looked up at him and for the first time took in his eyes.

"They're so blue." She commented, scooching forward on the counter as she inched closer to his face.

"Excuse me?"

"Your eyes, they're so blue." She repeated. "And beautiful… why do you keep them hidden?"

Pulling his hands out of her grasp he quickly grabbed the glasses off her head, suddenly feeling extremely self conscious about his eyes.

"No don't." She said, as he went to put them back on. "I like them... your eyes."

Lowering his hands he stared questioningly at her, genuinely confused by the words coming out of her mouth. "Why?" He questioned.

She shrugged, and her hands found their way back up to his face, gently caressing him as her fingers gingerly traced the scarred area by his left eye. "Because…" She said in a faraway voice, "they're yours."

He found himself giving into her touch as he leaned into her hand, surprised by his own reaction. For the life of him, he could not remember the last time he actually allowed someone to see his eyes. In fact, he was pretty sure the last person to have ever seen his eyes was his mother. "Aldonza." He said gently, in a voice he almost didn't recognize himself, the wine must have really gotten to him, either that or he was just simply intoxicated by her.

At the sound of her name she leaned forward, closing the distance between the two of them, but just as her lips were about to brush his, she lost her balance and stumbled over, falling off of the bar into a tangled mess on his lap. She smiled sheepishly up at him before bursting out in a fit of giggles. Adjusting herself, she sat up and settled herself neatly on his lap, her legs straddling him as her hands ran up up his chest, pausing momentarily to caress his face before her fingers tangled themselves in his hair. Pulling his head down toward her, she pressed her lips against his, a wave of heat coursing through her body as she melted against him.

He held her close against him as he fervently returned her kiss, relishing the taste of her, she was so sweet, with an underlying taste of wine. Oh how long he had waited to taste her, to touch her, to explore every inch of her body. How many times had he dreamed of this moment, of holding her in his arms as she wrapped her body around him, and now for the first time, that dream was a reality.

Pulling away from him to breathe, she let out a contented sigh and gazed into his eyes. "Mister Donquixote," she said in a seductive whisper, leaning in close to him, her lips barely brushing his ear. "I want you to fuck me like an animal… I want to feel you from the inside…"

A shiver of excitement trailed down his spine at those words, and it astounded him that she had remembered them. He let out a long hearty laugh before running his hand into her hair and pulling her against him, devouring her mouth again.

She smiled against his lips, pushing her tongue into his mouth as she tasted more of him, savoring him. When he suddenly stood, she wrapped her legs around his torso and whispered, "Upstairs, last door on the left."

As they slammed into her bedroom he pinned her against the wall, trailing kisses down the side of her neck as she moaned his name. Breaking apart long enough to peel off her shirt, he noticed the bruises he had left on her right arm. "I'm sorry." He said as he gently traced the bruised imprint.

"It's alright," She said, capturing his lips again as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I don't mind if you mark me, make me yours."

That was all he needed to hear before he attacked her neck again, sucking and nipping at the tender flesh as he proceeded to mark her as his.

"M-mister Donquixote…" She moaned, driving her hips against him, as her desire for him grew unbearable.

He continued his assault on her body, but pulled her from the wall and gently laid her onto her bed, looming over her as he explored every inch of her with his tongue. Her mind went blank as she trembled against him, convulsing in ecstasy.

Before she could fully register what was happening, she let out a yelp in pain as he entered her, but to her surprise he waited until she was ready before he continued. When he finally moved against her, she found the pain melting away into mind numbing pleasure as he found and lost himself in her again and again. He was everything she had imagined him to be and more.

There was so much passion in his movements, but also such tenderness too, he was much gentler than she had expected, but at the same time so desperately hungry for her. He made her feel things she never knew she could feel, both physically and emotionally, and by the time they were both spent, she knew undoubtedly, that there would never be another man like him in this world or the next.

The wine coupled with their orgasms left them both exhausted, and as he pulled himself off of her and collapsed next to her they both fell into a deep sleep. She was suddenly awoken when she felt him jolt upright. Glancing over at him she was pulled from the high she had been experiencing and a frown crossed her face.

She did not like the way he looked, sweating, hunched over his knees with his head in his hands. He looked so fragile, so broken, and she was almost afraid to touch him, fearing that he would simply shatter beneath her hand. Reluctantly she did reach out a hand to touch him, and as her fingers lightly brushed his skin, he suddenly jerked toward her and roughly grabbed her hand, relaxing slightly when his mind registered it was her.

"Aldonza…" He said softly, his voice cracking slightly. Pulling her into his lap he held her tight against him as he dropped his head onto her shoulder. "... I was a god once... did you know that?"

She wanted to shake her head no, but she knew it was a rhetorical question, that he didn't actually expect her to answer. Pulling her arms out from his embrace, she reached up gently stroked his hair as he sighed into her, his large frame trembling slightly.

"... that was a milion years ago…"

As he told his story to her, recounting his broken childhood, and his shattered reality, she could feel his pain all the way to her core. Her soul hurt for him and she could feel his tears trailing down her back. She wished that she could have the power to take away his pain, to bear his sorrows for him, but she knew that burden was his, and his alone. The only thing she could do was exist, and pray that it would be enough. Pulling away from him slightly, she turned around and took his face in her hands again, and as she wiped away his tears she stared into his soul.

He was so beautiful, so excruciatingly beautiful, yet such a beautiful disaster. In his eyes she could see him drowning in his dreams, such an exquisite extreme, and he was certainly as damned as he seemed, with more heaven than a heart could hold. She wanted to save him, to pull him from that nightmare that was consuming him, but she knew that if she did, her whole world could cave in around her.

Oh, he was a tragedy alright, with more damage than a soul should see, and if she could just hold on, through the tears and the laughter, she wondered if it would be beautiful, or just a beautiful disaster. She was at a complete loss on what to do. On the one hand she finally understood the damage inside of him, but on the other hand, she knew the kind of man he was on the outside, and it was so hard for her to not blame him for his atrocities. She couldn't abandon him though, that much she knew, so she chose to hold on tight, as she prayed for some kind of miracle.

Pulling herself up, she kissed him again, slowly and deeply, pouring into it everything she wanted to say, everything she felt, but could not find the right words to express.

He accepted her kiss hungrily, she was everything he had ever wanted, needed, and for that moment in time, she chased all his demons away. How could he possibly put into words what she did to his soul, what it was he felt when she gave herself to him. She was unlike anyone he had ever known, and he was not sure if she would ever fully understand that. If she would ever know the amount of control she had over him, the fact that she held his heart in her hands and had the power to utterly destroy him.

"Oi, Aldonza, get your butt down here, you have a bar to run!"

A voice bellowed up to them from downstairs, startling her. Violently she pulled away from him, stumbling backwards, and fell off the bed with a crash, landing in an ungraceful heap.

Doflamingo could not help the laugh that tore through him at her brilliant display. She was certainly something else. Still laughing he leaned over the edge of the bed he offered her his hand, only to have it swatted away as she gave him a deadly stare.

"Oh shut it you." She snapped, as she struggled to untangle herself from the sheets she took down with her. Grabbing her clothes from the floor she quickly dressed before combing out her hair and exiting the room.


	5. Chapter 5

The next few days passed in a haze, and Aldonza found that being around that man put her on an inexplicable high. Just a mere look from him could send her mind reeling, and she found herself starving for his touch. His friends, on the other hand, did not find it very amusing that he had evidently decided to neglect the very reason why there were there in the first place and instead decided to spend all his time inside the little tavern. Every now and then a few of them would filter in, give him some sort of report, sometimes stay for a drink, sometimes move on to something else, but every time they would comment on the fact that he had been absent.

"You know, it would make things so much easier if you just got authorization from the Mayor to have the port master answer to you." Aldonza said as they made their way downstairs and into the tavern, groaning at the amount of work she had to do.

"Do you really think the Mayor would go for something like that? Signing away right to his port to a group of pirates?"

Glaring at the crate of limes her Uncle Francisco undoubtedly left out for her, she went to work cutting them up into small wedges. "Well," She started, looking up at him, a smile filtering across her face, "I can be pretty persuasive."

"And pray tell, my dear, how exactly would you be persuading him?" He asked in a slight growl, a wave of jealously washing over him as his mind wandered and the thought of another man touching her enraged him.

She let out a laugh, catching the implication of the irrational jealousy hidden in his words. " _Mister Donquixote_ ," She said with a small hint of offense. "I know I've told you before, I'm not that kind of girl."

Her laugh disarmed him, and he found himself being pulled back into her calm. A smile spread across his lips as he settled down across from her at the bar. "So tell me, Aldonza, what kind of girl are you?"

A deep blush passed across her cheeks, and she forced herself to stare down at the limes, trying extremely hard to ignore the intensity of his eyes upon her. If the last few days had taught her anything, it was that she was his, completely. "I'm _your_ girl." She mumbled softly, an embarrassment creeping over her as she voiced her inner thoughts.

Smirking at her response he leaned in toward her, "What was that, my dear? I couldn't quite hear you."

Pulling away from him she tried to contain her blush and regain her calm. "I have limes to cut." She said curtly, her hands shaking slightly as she resumed her task.

Activating his ito ito no mi, his smirk grew wider as a series of strings encased all the limes, and with a slight flick of his wrist, they were all sliced perfectly. "What was that about the limes, my dear?"

Putting down the knife, she smiled and gave into him. Stepping out from behind the bar she slowly approached him, stopping in front of him, she gently placed a hand on his thigh and hooked the heel of her boots onto the lowest ring of the stool he was sitting on, pushing herself up as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I said, I'm _your_ girl." She said softly, holding tight to him as to not topple backwards. Leaning into him, her hands found their way into his hair. "Oh, I'm going to miss you, Doffy."

He smiled as she gently ran her fingers across his scalp, her nails lightly tracing patterns as she closed the distance between them and hungrily captured his lips. Savoring the taste of her, a little part of him lamented the fact that he would have to be leaving later that day. Never in a million years did he ever think that he would be so enthralled by one woman.

Pulling away from him she gave him a playful smirk before slipping out of his arms and stepped down. "I have work to do, _Mister Donquixote_."

Before she could make it very far, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back to him. "That you do." He replied with a devious smile, his tongue tracing his lower lip. "You should start with me…"

She smiled up at him as she allowed him to pull her against him again, a hand gently tracing the curves of his face, the other resting gently against his chest. " _Mister Donquixote_ ," she said teasingly, "Perhaps if you helped me, the work would go quicker…"

"Fuffuffuffuffuffu, four days and you're already putting me to work." He said with a laugh, his arms tightening around her. "What would you like me to do, my dear?"

"Oh _Mister Donquixote_ ," She purred, "I don't think it would be appropriate to voice the things I'd like you to do… But… if you were so inclined to help, could you please help me restock the bar? You wouldn't even need a ladder." She said as she pulled away from him again, ducking under his arms and crossed the room to resume her chores.

Shaking his head with a grin, he reluctantly conceded to helping her and stood up. As he made his way down into the cellar, he had half a mind to drag her down there with him and ravish her, but resisted the urge. There would be time for that later. Grabbing two cases of wine and a dozen or so bottles of liquor he made his way back up, putting the bottles in place before heading back down into the cellar. When he done restocking the bar, he grabbed a bottle of wine and popped off the cork, settling down on a stool as he drank directly from the bottle, watching her move about the room.

He couldn't quite explain what it was he felt as he stared at her, everything about her entranced him. Ever since he left that day over a year ago, he had not been able to shake her from his thoughts. During the course of that year, he had convinced himself it was because she was the only woman to have ever rejected his advances, and that once he claimed her he would be done, but the past few days have proved otherwise. He simply could not get enough of her. Every fiber of his being begged for her, and he knew that leaving her behind was certainly going to be difficult.

As she worked, she thought about all the things she was going to say to the Mayor in an attempt to draw him to her cause. She was pretty confident that she could actually persuade him to sign the ports over the the Donquixote Pirates, what she wasn't too sure about was whether or not it would be enough to actually have _that man_ return to her little island more frequently. She was not delusional enough to believe that he would actually keep coming back to her, that she was as special to him as he was to her. He was a pirate, used to getting whatever it was he wanted, and she was a girl he had finally conquered. She let out a small, sad sigh. Such a shame that he was a man destined for greatness, a fallen god who still had the power within him to take the world by its reins and bend it to his will, and she, she was just a barkeep on a small island in the North Blue. No, a little island like El Toboso and a simple girl like her couldn't possibly contain a man like that.

As she finished up with her chores she let out another sigh and made her way back to the bar, flashing him a bright smile before stepping behind it, pulling out another bottle and a clean glass.

"Ne, ne Doffy," The nasally voice of Trebol filtered into the room as the door to the tavern slammed open. "Enough is enough."

Doflamingo let out a groan and looked over at the door, before dismissively turning back toward the bar and continued to drink his wine, ignoring his friend.

Giving Trebol her sweetest smile as he approached the bar, Aldonza pulled a glass from the rack and poured him some wine. "Wine? Trebol, was it?"

He graciously took the glass from her and sat down next to Doflamingo, leaning entirely too close to him. "Ne, Doffy, if we want to make it to our next appointment on time we have to leave soon."

"Back off, Trebol." Doflamingo spat, annoyed that Trebol had come just when she finally had a free moment. "I'm perfectly aware of the time."

Aldonza couldn't help but chuckle at his apparent annoyance, understanding perfectly what was running through his mind. The amusement on her face faded slightly as the rest of his friends and crew members slowly trickled their way into the tavern, a frown almost forming as she realized that he clearly wasn't aware of the time. Otherwise they wouldn't _all_ be there, one or two of them sure, but _all_ of them, at the same time, they must have been desperate to leave.

"Uhahahahaha, the wine here must be exceptional." The tallest one, Diamante laughed as he settled down on the other side of Trebol and grabbed a glass for himself.

"Oh it is." Aldonza said, pouring him a glass too. "Should I send a case or two to your ship, _Mister Donquixote_?"

Letting out a heavy sigh he shifted away from Trebol and turned his attention back to her. "I do believe we would need more than just a case or two…" He replied, draining his glass. "What can you give me?"

"For you, _Mister Donquixote_ , you can my everything."

He grinned up at her, "And tell me Aldonza, what do I do when I run out?"

"Well, _Mister Donquixote_ ," She said with a grin matching his as she leaned over the counter toward him. "I suppose you'd just have to come back and get your fill."

"Hmm," He mused, "Or, perhaps I could just take you with me."

She let out a laugh, "Tell me, _Mister Donquixote_ , how would that _possibly_ help with the wine dilemma?"

"Simple," He said as he closed the distance between them, "I could just get intoxicate off you instead."

Pulling away from him she laughed again. "As tempting as that sounds, _Mister Donquixote_ , I must respectfully decline. I'm not much for pirating… now if you would like to give me a hand with this wine…" She said suggestively as she bent down and pulled open the hatch to the cellar.

A gleeful smirk crossed his face as he made his way around the bar and followed her down into the cellar, pinning her up against the wall as soon as their feet touched the ground, before she could even flick on the light.

"M-mister Donquixote…" She stammered, as he pulled away from her lips in order to attack the side of her neck, tugging away the scarf she had tied there. She gasped as he began to retrace every mark he had already left on her skin, remarking her with more intensity than before.

Smirking into her neck, he trailed his hands down her body, and lifted her up, positioning her legs around his waist. The moment she wrapped her legs around him, her hips began to grind against him and he could not help the chuckle that escaped him. "Impatient aren't we, my dear? Did you not get your fill this morning?"

"Oh, Doffy," She moaned, digging her nails into the back of his neck as he continued his assault on her body. "I could _never_ get enough of you." That was all he needed to hear, and he feverishly peeled off her clothing, slamming her down onto him, the moment she was uncovered.

Upstairs, the Donquixote family looked blankly at each other as the time continued to slowly ticked away and the two of them made no signs of returning. Emptying what was left of the wine into his glass, Diamante let out a strained laugh. "They sure are taking their time with that wine…"

"Heh," Jora scoffed, "We all know this has nothing to do with wine-zamasu."

"Ne, ne, Jora-basan, what in the world are you talking about?" Trebol asked, turning toward the older woman.

"Did you guys really think the Young Master has spent the past four days sitting in this tavern for the wine-zamasu?"

"Behehehehehe, are you insinuating it's because of the girl then?" Trebol laughed, polishing off the wine. "Ne, ne, Doffy can get any girl he wants, as many girls he wants, you really think he would spend that much time on one girl?"

"Oh you boys know nothing of love-zamasu." She said dismissively waving her hand. "You'll see, we'll be back here within the month."

"Oh? You want to put money down on that?" Machvise asked, his interest now piqued. "Let's start a pool, a thousand berrie buy in. If Jora says a month, I'll say six weeks."

"Uhahahaha, a pool eh? I like the sound of that." Diamante laughed. "I'll go in at two months…"

The rest of the family members piped in, throwing out various lengths of time as Diamante collected all the berries from them, quickly jotting down everyone's bets. Just as he finished up, Doflamingo emerged from the cellar, placing half a dozen cases of wine down onto the floor.

"You guys," he said waving his hand toward most of them, "Bring those back to the ship, Diamante, pay the lady." He ordered, before moving across the room to make his way upstairs.

"Ne, ne, Doffy, where are you going?' Trebol asked, shouldering two cases of wine.

"To collect my things." Came his reply, and for the first time everyone in the room, with the exception of Jora, who noticed when she first walked in, noticed that Doflamingo did not have that pink feathered jacket draped across his shoulders.


	6. Chapter 6

_a/n: first off... so sorry about this delay (I mean the chapter was literally published like a year ago on DA) this story is actually on hiatus (along with all my other OP stories)_

 _I am not abandoning it though, I am just having issues figuring out how to take it where I want it to go. (Also I'm drowning in two other fandoms and OP really hasn't been doing it for me ever since Dressrosa ended and we've been stuck on cake island with no Law and no Zoro, but let's not go there)_

* * *

"Ne, Doffy, if we keep heading in this direction we're going to hit the Kuroshio current." Trebol said, sliding up next to a very stoic Doflamingo who had his hands clutched onto the helm of the ship as he stared off absently into the horizon.

"I'm aware." Came his reply, as he held fast, a strained smile on his lips, his brows knitted and his knuckles turning slightly white from the grip he had on the wheel.

"Ne, ne, if we keep on this course we'll hit-"

"El Toboso." He said impassively, turning toward the large man who was standing uncomfortably close to him. The tightness of his brow grew slightly more intense and the vein in his forehead throbbed. "How is it that you are incapable of speaking to me without being in my face?" He growled through gritted teeth, the irritation evident in his voice.

"Behehehehe," Trebol laughed nervously as he took a slight step back. Even he knew when to back off sometimes, especially when Doflamingo was in one of those moods, and lately, he seemed to always be in one of those moods. "Sorry, sorry."

Focusing his eyes back onto the horizon, Doflamingo felt something uncoil inside of him. The mere thought of returning to that island sparked something inside of him, and for the first time in weeks he felt as if he could finally find his release. It was unfathomable, the insatiable desire he had for her, and no matter how hard he tried to shake that desire, with god knows how many women, he simply could not be satisfied unless it was her.

The past month or so, he found that the only time he felt alive, was when he dreamed at night, and even though she wasn't real, it was alright. How that little part of him could take control of everything, was simply beyond him, but in his waking hours, that need for her consumed him and he found himself succumbing to those demons twisting inside of him.

Trebol chuckled to himself a little as he stalked off, giving Vergo a slight nod as Vergo made his way to the upper deck and leaned against the railing next to the helm. "We've run out of wine." He said flatly, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

Doflamingo looked over at him, his features relaxing slightly as he smirked back at his friend. "So it seems…"

"I could always bring a net with us when we disembark." Vergo offered with a slight chuckle.

"Fuffuffuffuffu, as amusing as that would be, I don't think there's a cage out there in the world strong enough to hold something so... divine… not even mine." Doflamingo let out a sigh and turned his eyes back to the horizon. "Besides, caging something like that would dispel the magic… for now I can just make excuses to keep going back there."

"Hmm," Vergo mused, "If you say so."

"Vergo, please tell me I'm insane… because honestly, this is insanity. How is it that one person can consume my soul?"

Shrugging, Vergo pushed off from the banister. "I don't know, I could go ask my girlfriend."

Doflamingo let out a small chuckle. "You don't have a girlfriend do you, Vergo?" He asked, wondering if he had missed something, or if this was just Vergo being Vergo again.

"No," The dark haired man said, looking down at his feet, "I suppose I don't have a girlfriend."

"Fuffuffuffuffu, if you did those two girls back on Nejar would be quite disappointed."

Vergo let out a laugh. "Oh, they would have been disappointed either way, it was you they wanted."

"Oh? They seemed pretty… satisfied, with you." Doflamingo said with another laugh. "Those girls were annoying."

Vergo shrugged, "If you say so, I still thought they were kind of cute."

"We can go see them again."

"No, I don't think that would be necessary… they weren't _that_ cute."

By the time they reached El Toboso night had already fallen, and Pica was celebrating his victory of winning the pool. Jora was disappointed she had lost by a mere three days, but still, she was proud that she had been correct in her assessment of the Young Master's feelings. "A woman's intuition is never wrong." She stated as they disembarked the ship and Doflamingo disappeared into the night.

Aldonza smiled as the music filled the tavern and coursed through her veins. She lived for these nights, when she could just lose herself in the music and momentarily forget about that man. So lost in a trance she had barely noticed it when her partner was ripped out of her arms and slammed against the far side of the room, rendering him unconscious. It was not until the music stopped and the stinging sensation on her arms became unbearable that she finally snapped out of her trance.

Glancing around the room her eyes fell upon the figure standing by the door, seething in anger. "Mister Donquixote…" she breathed, a little part of her refusing to believe he was real, she had imagined him standing there so many times in the past. Stumbling her way over to him, her hands found their way to his face, and a serene smile passed across her face. "... you're real."

He blinked at her, his anger dissipating the moment she touched him. Taking her hands into his he pulled her into him and breathed in her scent. As always, she smelled of honey and lavender, intricately intermingled with wine. Just like that she was able to drive all that darkness away and set his soul free. For the first time in five weeks he felt that demon twisting inside of him subside. "Aldonza." He said in a hoarse whisper.

"Come, dance with me." She said with a brilliant smile as she tried to wriggle out of his embrace.

"No." He replied, taking a step back and taking her by the wrist. "Let's get out of here."

She let out a giggle as she allowed him to pull her out of the tavern, stumbling slightly as she tried to find her feet and keep up with his pace. "Where are we going, Mister Donquixote?" She asked when her head finally stopped spinning and she came up next to him.

Smiling down at her he ran his tongue over his upper lip. "To find those _hills_."

She laughed as she leaned into him, "Oh? Are they magical hills? Are we the only ones who can see them?"

"I suppose they are… our own secret magical hills where no one else exists."

"Ne, ne, where the hell did he run off to?" Trebol grumbled, scanning the room.

"Uhahahahaha," Diamante laughed, ducking under the door frame and settling down by the bar. "Where else could he have gone if not here?"

"Ne, you're _sure_ they're not here?" Trebol asked the terrified girl behind the bar, who just furiously nodded her head yes.

"He was here." Vergo offered, nudging the collapsed man with his foot. "It those marks aren't Doffy's strings then I don't know what is."

"Ne, ne, Vergo, if you're right... then he came here and then left with the girl? Where the fuck are we supposed to find him now?"

Vergo shrugged. "Well he did say to go meet with the Mayor tomorrow morning, so maybe at the Mayor's office?"

"When did he say that?" Diamante asked, downing his drink. "Are you making things up again?"

Vergo looked at him perplexed. "What are you talking about? I don't make things up."

Diamante threw his head back and laughed. "Sure you don't."

Aldonza woke up the next morning incredibly sore and cold, and with a wicked headache. Groaning she sat up and shivered, instantly regretting her decision to drown herself in wine the night night before. Reaching down to grab the covers to pull over herself, her hand froze as her brain slowly registered the fact that there was someone else with her in the bed. "What the…" She mumbled to herself as she looked down at the man sleeping besides her, gasping when her brain finally registered who it was.

"Mister Donquixote," she whispered, falling back down onto the bed, smiling to herself despite the unbearable pounding in her head. Rolling over toward him she ran a hand across his face, beaming brightly at him when his hand came up to take hers into it and pull her closer to him. "... You're real." She breathed, as she inhaled his scent and buried her face into his chest.

He let out a chuckle, his chest reverberating against her as he gently stroked her hair. "Yes, my dear, we've established this last night."

"Ugh," she moaned, "I don't remember anything from last night."

"Nothing?"

"I remember dancing…" She said as she traced patterns across his chest, attempting to ignore the incessant pounding in her head. "... And the rain… and dancing in the rain."

"Oh that you did, and it was marvelous." He said placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I thought it was all a dream… a wild, beautiful dream… god knows how many times I've had that dream..."

"You and me both, my dear."

She sighed into him as she enjoyed the feel of his arms around her. "And you're sure you're real…"

"Aldonza my dear, I'm whatever you want me to be."

"I want you to be inside me." She said with a flirtatious grin as she lifted her leg, shifting her body over so that she was now straddling him.

"Oh my dear, you are simply divine." He replied, grabbing her face as he roughly pulled her down toward him, his mouth devouring hers as his hands slid down her body, grasping her hips as he obliged her.

"Ne, Vergo, what the hell are we doing here again?" Trebol grumbled as the four friends made themselves as comfortable as they could in the Mayor's office.

Vergo let out an exasperated sigh. "I already told you last night. Doffy said to come here in the morning."

"Ne, and what the fuck are we supposed to do here? Have tea with the Mayor!?" Trebol asked, shooting a slimy hand in the direction of the terrified Mayor who was cowering behind his desk.

"Fuffuffuffuffu," Came Doflamingo's laugh from the opened doors. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea... Mister Mayor, perhaps you should have someone bring us some tea."

The Mayor nodded his head, still trembling as he gestured for his assistant to go fetch some tea for his unexpected visitors. He did not need an introduction, he already knew who they were, in fact he had been anticipating their arrival for some time now, but did not realize how terrifying they would actually be up close.

"Mayor Iker," Aldonza said as she stepped into the room, sweeping past Doflamingo and his friends, taking a seat in the chair across from the Mayor's desk. "These are the pirates I was telling about."

"Yes…" The Mayor said shakingly, and although her appearance helped ease his nerves a little, he was still quite on edge. "You never mentioned how… intimidating they were up close."

She let out a giggle, "Oh but Mayor Iker, I believe that was the whole premise of my proposal."

"Yes, yes, your proposal." He said with a nod, gladly accepting the tea from his assistant as he gestured for the men to take a seat. "Mister Don-"

"Doflamingo will do."

The Mayor cleared his throat. "Doflamingo," He started again, "The little lady here proposed that I grant you and your crew authority over my ports in exchange for immunity and protection from your escapades."

"Fuffuffuffuffu, so what you're saying is, if you grant up authority over the ports, we in return promise not to burn your town to the ground…"

"As well as prevent others from doing so too, yes. Naturally, there will be some ships which will be outside the realm of your authority, such as all Marine vessels and any vessel bearing the World Government symbol, but all other ships, merchant, private, or pirate, would fall under your authority."

"Seems fair." Doflamingo said with a grin.

"Wonderful." The Mayor exclaimed, signing an official decree and stamping it with his seal.

"So when you said you could be persuasive, you meant that you could convince the Mayor through fear and intimidation?" Doflamingo said gleefully, draping an arm around Aldonza's shoulders as they exited the town hall.

"What can I say? You make it so easy…" She replied, grinning up at him. "If you didn't sail around terrorizing the North Blue it would have been much more difficult."

"When you put it that way, it makes us sound like monsters…"

"Are you saying you're not?"

"Fuffuffuffuffuffu," He laughed, "And what does that make you my dear?"

"In love with a monster."


End file.
